Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Regional Safety Oversight Organization and Regional Accident Incident Investigations Organization Assessment Programme?
The Regional Safety Oversight Organization and Regional Accident Incident Investigations Organization Assessment Programme (RRAP) is an ICAO voluntary assessment programme for regional safety oversight organizations (RSOOs) and regional accident/incident investigation organizations (RAIOs) that provide aviation safety assistance to ICAO member States. ICAO will assess the qualifications and capability of a RSOO/RAIO to provide specific functions and/or activities that include safety oversight and accident investigation.
2. What is the purpose of RRAP?
RRAP is a voluntary programme designed to strengthen, assess, and support RSOOs and RAIOs with the ultimate goal of assisting Member States in improving safety oversight and accident and incident investigation functions.
3. What type of organizations may be assessed within RRAP?
Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs) and Regional Accident Investigation Organizations (RAIOs) may request to be assessed.
4. Will RRAP assess private entities?
No. Private entities are not within the scope of RRAP.
5. What are the RRAP Levels of Safety Functions and Activities?
A State may request a provision of safety functions (safety oversight, safety management or accident investigation functions) at two different levels.
Level 1 : Advisory and coordination functions:
a) Advise on developing aviation safety legislation or regulations for transposition into national or regional regulations system in a given area.
b) Advise in the identification and notification of differences to SARPs.
c) Advise on the development of manuals, checklists and other guidance material.
d) Coordinate a pool of inspectors or experts.
e) Provide expert advisory services in any area of safety oversight, state safety management or safety investigation.
Level 2 : Operational assistance functions:
a) Develop a full set of aviation safety legislation and/or regulations in a given area, for adoption by States, which may include the responsibility for the maintenance of this regulatory set.
b) Deliver training for civil aviation safety inspectors or experts.
c) Conduct inspections or full technical investigations aiming at supporting the decision to issue, maintain, amend or revoke a certificate, license or approval.
d) Conduct surveillance functions, identification of safety deficiencies, recommendations for corrective actions (without enforcement powers).
e) Conduct whole or parts of safety investigations under Annex 13.
f) Conduct State specific safety management activities such as: establishment of a safety data collection and processing system (SDCPS), safety data analysis, hazard identification and development of risk mitigation strategies, SPI development and safety promotion.
6. What added value does RRAP provide States compared to the existing arrangements for providing safety functions and activities?
When relying on an ICAO RRAP assessed RSOO/RAIO to perform safety functions and activities, the State will have the assurance of where the RSOO's/RAIO's qualifications and capability stands in terms of the compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
7. How will RRAP improve State safety oversight systems?
RRAP will provide more solutions to States to implement safety oversight functions with the assurance of the RSOO's qualifications and capability. Through the assessment process itself, RRAP will help reinforce those RSOOs already providing support to States, thereby contributing to the overall improvement of the State's safety oversight system.
8. How will RRAP strengthen RSOOs?
RSOOs will be encouraged to undergo a RRAP assessment for those functions and activities they already perform.
The assessment process is based on standardized criteria providing a common benchmark and is expected to motivate both RSOOs and their Member States in making the necessary efforts or investing the required resources and relying more on their RSOO for the provision of safety functions and activities; thereby, supporting the strengthening of the RSOO's safety oversight capabilities.
9. How will RRAP provide efficiency and cost benefits to industry?
As more and more States make use of the services of ICAO assessed RSOOs/RAIOs the industry will benefit from efficiencies related to a more harmonized implementation of the ICAO standards and recommended practices and a reduction in the duplication of surveillance activities.
10. Is a State expected to oversee the ICAO RRAP assessed RSOO/RAIO that it is using?
States can have confidence in the ICAO assessments of RSOOs/RAIOs, however the State retains its responsibilities for safety oversight under the Convention on International Civil Aviation and should satisfy itself as it deems necessary.
States are responsible for assuring themselves that the RSOO's/RAIO's capability is valid in relation to State specific aspects, such as language, knowledge and application of national aviation regulations and procedures, and specificities of the national aviation activity.
States are also responsible to ensure that efficient technical coordination mechanisms are in place, between the CAA and the RSOO/RAIO. In cases where the State CAA retains the final approval, it is expected furthermore that the CAA retains the capability to review the report or equivalent outcome in order to take the necessary approval decisions.
Finally States will be strongly encouraged to provide regular feedback to ICAO on how they view the performance of the RSOO/RAIO; as such feedback will be used as input to enhance the ICAO RRAP process and quality.
11. What are the differences and interfaces between the ICAO RRAP programme and USOAP CMA programme?
USOAP CMA and RRAP are separate ICAO programmes that may share some commonalities (e.g. methodologies and tools), but there are a number of fundamental differences:
a) USOAP CMA monitors States’ safety oversight, accident investigation and/or safety management responsibilities; RRAP assesses an RSOO’s/RAIO’s qualifications and capability to perform certain safety functions that assist State’s in fulfilling their safety oversight, accident investigation and/or safety management responsibilities.
b) USOAP CMA is mandatory for States; RRAP assessments are voluntary for RSOOs/RAIOs.
12. What is the benefit to RRAP objectives of including Level 1 RSOOs/RAIOs, which only provide advice?
Level 1 functions, although not being direct operational safety functions, can be as essential as level 2 functions to support State CAAs in developing their safety regulatory framework and in increasing their safety oversight capabilities. Level 1 functions cover activities such as developing safety regulations, coordinating the engagement of pools of experts, developing guidance and checklists for operational safety oversight functions, etc. Including Level 1 functions in the scope of RRAP will help provide assurance of the RSOO's/RAIO’s capability engaged in such functions.
13. Does a State's use of a RSOO/RAIO to perform functions or activities relieve the State from its responsibilities and obligations under the Convention on International Civil Aviation?
No. The only case where State responsibility can be transferred remains under the use of Article 83bis of the Convention. RRAP is not changing in any way the responsibilities as defined under the ICAO Convention.